Method of and apparatus for interiorly coating tubes.



E. JAMES. 4, METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR INTERIORLY GOATI NG TUBES.

APPLIOATIOH FILED JUNE 27, 1908.

a W u T mm W 9m M v w 9 M n a I 6 t m a P E. JAMES. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR INTERIOBLY COATING TUBES.

APPLIOATIO K FILED JUNE 27, 1908.

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UNITED sr TEs PATENT orsion.

EDWARD JAMES, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO 'JIHIEl -J'AIYIES MANUFACTURING COMPANY, CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

mnrnon or AND APPARATUS-Eon INTERIOBLY COATING TUBES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 27 1908. Serial No.440, 842.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, EDWARD JAMES, a citizen of the United States, resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Methods of andApparatus for Interiorly Coating Tubes, of which the following is a' specification, the principle of the invention bein heremexplained and the best mode in which I have-contem plated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The present invention relates in general stituting, however, but several of the various -mechanlcal forms I to the manufacture of flexible tubing for disadvantage, that of an unequal thickness use in the 'conduction of illuminating or other gases, and has more particular regard to the coating or lining of suchtubmg wlth glue composition, or coating material in or er to render the same impervious to the gasor its fluids. The desirability of thus coating or lining tub ing for illuminating gas has long been appreciated; for even where the tubing 1s made of rubber the gas will escape through its pores, creating an objectionable odor, if not leading to more harmful results, unless such pores are closed in the manner. indicated. This coating may be applied in vanous fashions; the tube may be interiorly lined with a coatin of gelatin or the latter may be external y applied, or it maybe included between two constituent layers of the body,.proper, of the tubin While tubes constructed in each of the t ree ways noted are known, the exteriorly coated, type applying the coating to tubes of the char-. acter in hand. As. a matter of fact, so far as I am aware the only method available for the purpose has been to pour the glue or elatm into the tube to be coated so as to fill it, and, after the tube has stood long enough to permit the formation of a film or coating of the desired thickness, the rest is cured out. Aside from the difficulty and tediousness of such a process, the further of coating, may be cited against it.

- The present invention has as its object the provision of a simple, eflicient and rapid method of interiorly applying coatings,

(gelatin, or other like whether of the character in hand or other material, .to-tubes of various kinds, particularly the flexible tubes, usually of rubber,

- employed in the connection above remarked.

. To the accomplishment of this object, saidinvention, then, consists of the steps and means hereinafter fully described and partlcularly pointed out in the claims. 7 I

- The annexed drawings and thefollowing description set forth in detail certain mechamsm and modes of operationexemplifymg the invention, such disclosed means conand modes of operation in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings: Figure 1 represents a side elevation, with parts in sectron, of one approved form of apparatus for carrylng out my method of interiorly coating tubes; Fig. 2 is. a part side elevation and perspective view of such apparatus; Fig. 3

1s a transverse section of a valve forming one of the details of such ap aratus; Fig. 4 1s a section of the same detal at right angles to the plane of the section in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a sectional view, corresponding to Patented Nov. 2, 1909.

4, of another detail of the apparatus: I Fig. 6 re resents in more or less di-agrammatic fas ion, the method of coating exemplified in the foregoing apparatus; and Fig. 7 represents a modification of such. apparatus and method. I

Reference will be had first of all to the type of apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1 to-5 inclusive; afterward will follow a brief discussion of the method of operation exemplified therein- Such ap roved apparatus, then will be seen to comprise, Fig. 1, a chamher or new 'tacle A for thecoating material, which in the case in hand will be gelatin, or of similar mucilaginou's character. In order to preserve the same of proper fluid consistency I 'rov'ide heating means in the form of an inc osing chamber A adaptedto contain water and through which a steam coil 41 is ]passed in order to maintain such Water at t e proper temperature. Any other suitable heating means may be employed as found convenient. Chamber A is sealed, being provided with a suitable inletopening, a shown in Fig. 2, for admittingthe coating composition, an air inlet a by means of which suitable pressure may be maintained upon the surface of the body of liquid in the chamber, and a liquid outlet a by means of ischarged from chamber reach an abnorma degree, such plug will be broken and blown out. The air t ereb pressure in question may be derived from any suitable source, as for example a pump, but is more conveniently secured from a compressed air tank B. As the pressure in such tank will ordinarily be "considerably higher than that desired for present urposes, a reducing valve 1) is introduce in the line 6 leading therefrom to the coatm ap aratus proper. This line b is branche an in the one branch 6 which leads to the air inlet a in thechamber containing the coating composition, a second reducing valve 6 is introduced whereby.a lower pressure is maintained in suchchamber than is available through the other branch 12* of the air line. Indicators 7) are provided in connection with the respective reducing valves that the desired pressure may be maintained in lines b 1;. Such other branch 6 leads directly to a valve casing C that is interposed in the liquid discharge pipe a leading from chamber A. The construction of this casing and of the valve C inclosed therein clearly a pears in Figs. 3 and 4; the casing wi be seen to be provided, in addition with t e liquid and air connections already referred to, with a horizontally dis osed tube 0 forming a discharge as'sa e t orefrom, and with a vertically dlspose tube 0' designed to form'a receptacle for plug members 0 preferably spherical in form, the use of which will presently appear. These may be introduced at the top of such receptacle throu h a suitable lateral opening c therein. e valve C within the valve casin C is of the plug type and is provided wit a I longitudinal opening 0 at all times in re ister with the discharge passage C, and wit wil be retained against the reduced a'transverse openin 0 adapted in one position to admit a. ba 1 C from receptacle C to such passage, and in other positions to connect said assage with chamber A through tube a or with the fluid pressure supply as desired. The outer end 0 of the discharge tube 0 thus connected with valve casing G is flattened a trifle, or otherwise made of slightly reduced diameter whereby a ball or pin 0 admitted in'the manner described,

ressure applied thereagainst when the liquid is admitted through the valve to passage 0, but will be released under the greater pressure when the air line isconnected direct with such passage.

Since the tubing to be interiorly coated is, as has been explained, designed for use in shown in Fig. 2.

esaiae drop light or other connections for conducting illuminating gas, such tubing will require to be fitted with connections or couplings for attachin the same to the fixture, lamp, or other article. I, acco ly, show such a con ling or connection as' e means for attaching the tubing to the discharge tube leading from the valve casing, Figs. 2 and 5, without however, implying any limitation to this articular means of attachment; for, obviously, various devices may be thus utilized, the one'illustrated beingreferred by reason of its convenience, since it forms a part generally required in the final product. This connection or couplin D, Fi 5, will be seen to comprise a funne shape metallic casing, the large end d of which is flanged to retain therein a rubber washer (1 adapted to fit over the ipe where-' with connection is 'to be had,'whii:*; the small end (1 has secured thereto the end of the hose or other tubing E. To attach such hose end thereto I introduce within the same an annular member or sleeve (1 and then expand the latter outwardly, uniformly about its entire periphery, so as to wedge the tubing ti htly between the same and the small end 0 the casing, thereb forming an air tight joint. Instead of t us expanding the sleeve I may employ a sleeve of diameter equivalent to-that produced when thus. expanded and project the end of the tube into the body of the casing before introducing such sleeve. Upon then drawing the tubing into the position illustrated the same wedging efiect will be had, es eciall smaller end of the casing D lie ma e slightly ta ering, as illustrated.

avinfg thus described the preferred apparatus or the carrying out of my im roved if such method of coating tubes, the mode 0 oper- I afiixed to the end of the discharge passage of the valve casin of the apparatus as uch tubing, it will be understood, ordinarily comes in flat boxes, bein coiled up therein'in one or more superposed layers. It is not necessary for the carrying out of m procws to remove the tubing from the ox; simpl connecting one end as described, to discharge passage C, and resting the other outside the box, will sufiice. After the tubin has been thus connected, the valve plug C is turned as shown in Fig. 3, in which position a ball a will drop into the opening a in such valve and be admitted into the discharge passage. It is thus forced into the latter and a measured quantity of the coating composition thereafterupon the valve being turned so as to connect the supply chamber A with the pasmovement, connection is made with the air line b. It has been indicated that the pressure in such air line is greater than that maintained in the liquid supply chamber; hence the foremost ball which was arrested in its movement at the outer end of the discharge passage is now forced on into the tubing, followed by the body of coatingcomposition, and the second ball that was dropped in behind the latter. .The air pressure thus introduced is gaged so vas to not only force the balls and the body of liquid contained between the same into the tube, but along the latter until they are 'discharged at its farther end. This operation is accomplished very quickly, as should appear, and turns in the house or tubing offer no resistance to the passage of the balls and material so long as the tubing is not kinked.

Preferably the balls, or at least the rear most thereof, will be made a trifle smaller in diameter than the diameter of the tube (see Fig. 6)" thereby gaging the thickness of the film or coating left. in the tube. By the foregoing means a perfectly even, uniform, coating is secured throughout the entire length of the tubing providing a sufficient amount of coating material, be admitted in the first instance. Since the film cools as fast as it is deposited there will be no difficulty in preserving the uniform character of such layer, and, in fact, the operation is entirely'completed in the instantane-,

0118 fashion described; at its conclusion the box may be covered andthe tubing placed away ready for use. The expansion of the compressed air or'gas, it may be noted, assists in cooling the coating.

It need scarcely be remarked that simpler means than the apparatus described may be employed in the carrying out of the process exemplified in the operation of such apparatus, if not with somuch expedition, at least with substantially equal thoroughness. For instance, the body of coating composition once introduced may be manually-moved or forced along the tube. So too, short lengths of tubes may be simply suspended vertically as indicated in Fig. .6 (which at'the samev time serves to illustrate the operation of the foregoing apparatus) and the body of coating composition passed therethrough either under the influence of gravity merely, or by admitting suitable pressure behind the same. In certain cases it is contemplated that the balls or plug members may be omitted entirely. Othermechanical means applied externally may take the place moreover of such plug members as is illustrated in Fig. 7, where, thebody of coating composition being placed in the tube,'such tube is merely passed between rollers and such body thus carried or forced along the same- ,in a fashion similar to that secured by the means previously described.

The advantages of having a tubefor the conduction of illuminating gas interiorly coated have been previously adverted to and so need not be again noted, except tostate that where such coating is applied in the uniform manner secured by my] improved method a perfectly smooth'opening or bore is left, much reducing the friction that otherwise opposes the flow of gas or like fluid therethrough. It will be understood that in place of air any other suitable pressure fluid may be employed; for instance, carbonic acid gas might, in certain localities be more [I readily and cheaply available than compressed air. Accordingly the term as herein used is employed in its general significance.

The same remark may-be made as regards the use of the term liquid in describing the character of the coating composition; this will ordinarily be of a gelatinous or viscous character, and the term referred to is employed to comiote these several characteristics. It will likewise be understood that plugs other than spherical can be utilized to retain the body of coatin composition together as it is being passe through the tubmg. strengthen the tube, this may be introduced either before or after the coatingooperation although it will be preferably done subsequently since otherwise a heavier coating will be necessary to insure impermeability.

It is sometimes found desirable. to dust the interior of the tube after it has been coated with the gelatin. For this purpose suitable comminuted material as soapstone is employed and I find that the process just described is as readily adaptable to the handling of this owdered soapstone as the gelatin. I Obvious such soapstone cannot be injected into the tube in the same fashion as the liquid, but once introduced whether Where a coil of wire is used to manually or by suitable apparatus (not here disclosed) the actual operation of coating is effected in the same way as herein set forth by forcing the body of powder contained between balls along the tube under. pneumatic pressure.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change-being made as reclosed, provided the steps or'means stated by any of. the following claims orthe equivalent of such stated steps or means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and tinctly claim as my invention gards the process and apparatus herein dis- 2 The method of iuteriorly coating tubes,

which consists in placing a quantity of the 4 coating material in the tube to be coated in front of a ball, and then admitting a fluidunder pressure behind said ball, whereby the latter and such material are forced along such tube, the diameter of the ball being gaged to leave a coating of the'desired thickness. I

3. The method of interiorly coating tubes, which consists in placing a quantity of the coating material in the tube to be coated in front of a relatively solid member, and then admitting a fluid under pressure behind said member, whereby the latter and said .'memher are forced alongsuch tube, the diameter of the member bein gaged to leave a coating of the desired t ickness. I

4. The method of interiorly coating tubes, which consists in confining a quantity of the coating material in the tube between relatively solid members, and then passing said members and confined material along such tube, said members. being freely movable with. respect to each other.

5. The met of interiorly coating tubes,

which consists ,in confining a quantity of the 7. The method of interiorly coating tubes,

which consists in confining a quantity of the coating material in the tube to be coated between two balls, and then admitting air under-pressure behind one of the latter, whereby such balls and confined material are 7 tubes, a supply chamber for the coating maa predeter-.

forced along such tube. V

8. The method of interiorly coating tubes, which'c'onsists in confining a quantity of the coating material in the tubes ,to be ooated between two balls, and then admitting air under pressure behind one of the latter, whereby such balls and the confined material are forced alon such tube, the diameter of such rearmost ba be gaged to leave a coating of the desired thic ess.

9. In apparatus for interiorly coating terial, means for transferring mined amount of such material fromsaid chamber to such tube, and means for admitting fluid ressure behind the material thus transferr 10. In apparatus for interiorly coating seam tubes, asupply chamber for the coating material, fluid-pressure actuated means for transferrin a predetermined amount of such material from said chamber to such tube, and means for admitting fluid pressure behind the material thus transferred.

coated with said chamber, means for transferrin a quantity of such material from said c ambe to such tube, and means for admitting fllild ressure behind the material thus transfer!" 12. In apparatus for interiorly coating tubes, a supply chamber for the coating material, such material being held under pressure therein, a passage adapted to connect fluid pressure supply adapted to be connected with said passage, valve means con trolling the connection of said chamber, and fluid pressure supply with said passage, respectively. v i

13. In apparatus for interiorly coating tubes, a supply chamber for the coating macoated with said chamber, means fortra-ns-i ferrin a quantity of such material from said 0 iamber, to such tube, means for introducin balls into said tube, and means for admitting fluid pressure behind the material transferred to said tube.

14. In apparatus for interiorly coating tubes, a supply chamber for the coating material, such material being held under pressure therein, a passage adapted to connect said chamber with the tube to'be coated, a fluid ressure supply adapted to be con- Inect withsaid passage, means for introducing balls into said passage, and valve means controllin the connection of said chamber and flu'i pressure with saidpassage, respectively.

15. In apparatus for interiorly coating tubes, a supply chamber for the coating material, such material being held under pressure therein, a fluid pressure supply, a valve casing provided with a discharge passe pressure suppl res tively means for connecting the tu to fi coated with such discharge passage, and a valvein said casing her, or fluid pressure supply, as desired.

16. In apparatus for interiorly coating terial, such material being held under pressure therein, a fluid ressure supply, a valve casing provided wit a discharge passa and connected with said chamber, and fluid ressure sup 1y, res or holding balls li ewise connected with said casing, and a valve in the latter adapted in one position to admit a ball from said 11. In apparatus for interiorly coating tubes, a supply chamber for the coating material, means for connecting the'tube to be said chamber with the tube to be coated, a.

terial, means for connecting the tube to be and connected with said chamber and fluid .adapted to connect the-same with said chamtively, a receptacle tubes, asupply chamber for the coatipg mareceptacle to said passage, and in other itions to connect sa1dpassa e with said 0 amher, or fluid pressure supp y, as desired.

17. In apparatus for interiorly coating tubes, a supply chamber for the coating material, such material being held under pres-. sure therein, a fluid glressure supply, a valve casing provided wi a barge passage and connected. with said chamber and flui ressure sup 1y respectively a receptacle or balls likewise cdnnected wi h holding said casing, and a valve in the latter adapted in one position to admit a ball from said receptac e to'said passage,- and in other posichamber, or fluid pressure supply, as desired, the pressure of said supply being 'greater than that in'said chamber, and the outer end of the discharge (passage of said casing bein uced diameter, 2

of sli htly re whereby a all be arrested until such -.greater ressure is applied.

' Signe by me this 22nd day of June, 1908. v I EDWARD JAMES.

Attested by- Cmus'rmn Aims, 'Jno. F. 01mm. 

